Probably the most commonly overlooked problem in the workplace is nutrition.  In fact, if our public schools were to serve children what many of us eat every day, we’d be screaming, “cruel and unusual punishment!” 

If your child showed symptoms of poor concentration, making mistakes out-of-the-ordinary for his/her intellect, and/or moodiness, s/he would surely be examined for some type of disorder.  (And probably put on some kind of medication.)

But how often do you make mistakes and then ask yourself, “What was I thinking,” or, “How did that happen; I know better than that?”  If you have difficulty concentrating on the task at hand, make frequent mistakes, or feel, (or have been accused of), being moody, it’s time to take a look at your diet.

I used to be one of those people who couldn’t stand the thought of breakfast.  Nowadays, I can’t live without it.  Why?  Because the earlier I eat, the sooner I feel good.  Not only does eating wake me up physically, but it gets me going emotionally and spiritually as well.  You know how hard it is to maintain the proper attitude when you’re physically hurting?  It’s really the same thing.

The biggest grievance I see in employee break rooms both in small businesses and corporations alike is the overabundance of products containing high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  In addition to being blamed for the growing obesity problem in America, HFCS has been linked to diabetes, heart and liver problems, among other physical abnormalities, not so much because of the product itself, (that’s still up in the air), but because sugar, in all forms, robs the body of necessary nutrients that can be difficult to replace, especially if you’re unaware that there’s a problem.  (Until it’s too late.)  But I’m not going to debate the “side effects” of HFCS today – that’s another post!  Let’s just look at the effects of sugar on the body and brain.

When you eat something containing a high amount of sugar, your body’s digestive system goes to work, producing glucose that gets deposited into your bloodstream.  When your blood glucose level is increased rapidly, it stimulates your pancreas to secrete insulin in order to counteract and drop your blood sugar levels.  When that happens, you start to feel lethargic, lose ability to concentrate, feel like you’re in a fog, and start craving something sweet again to “keep you going.”  If you’re too busy to eat at that time, you’ll end up feeling depressed or be in a bad mood of some kind.  It’s a vicious cycle, because not concentrating well causes poor performance which leads to mistakes which causes your boss to yell at you making your mood worse, craving more sugar, causing another spike – you get the drift.

Various studies over the past 30 years have shown that sugar overloading can even lead to job dissatisfaction, even in offices that are relatively stress-free.  Think about that for a moment!

So what do you need to avoid?  Just about everything processed and sweet – your moon pies, jams and jellies, soft drinks, and most of those “health bars” you believe are so good for you.  Especially, don’t make a complete meal on them!!!  My point is this:  Anything can be okay in moderation; it’s overindulgence and addiction that interferes with your concentration, performance, and mood.  A processed oat bar is fine for a snack (although not my first choice) if you know you’re going to be eating in an hour, but it’s not lunch.  You need protein, carbs, and good fat at every meal.  Personally, I still follow the Zone diet as much as possible – not exactly – just closely.  I don’t believe in going overboard on anything.  I just stay balanced, paying attention to how I feel after I eat, and adjust if necessary.  I eat as many whole and raw foods as possible, (very possible during the summer months here in Kentucky), and keep my sugar intake to the old fashioned granulated kind – for my tea – thank you very much!  (If I gain a couple of pounds – it’s the first to go.  I just drink more water until I’m back down to my ideal weight – this trick works so quickly.)

I’ve also noticed that a light lunch works best also – perhaps because I’ve had a rather substantial breakfast – but I’m lighter and have more energy when I eat a salad with some leftover grilled chicken on it.  Half a sandwich with some fruit works well also.

One of my favorite snacks for the afternoon “pick me up,” is fruit.  It satisfies my craving for sugar if I have one, but it also quenches my thirst.  If I have a strong sugar craving, I realize that that means I had too many carbs for lunch, so I’ll add a handful of nuts to my snack and within a half hour, I’m ready to go again.

Be Good to Yourself
Since your diet has such an impact on your level of physical energy, and through it your levels of mental and emotional energy, the more fastidious you are about what you put into your mouth, the better you will feel, the more productive you will be, and the more joyously you can live – and that is so worth the effort!

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized!  Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

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Posted under Education, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

I have been so busy lately – physically busy.  In addition to my writing, speaking, coaching, and website maintaining, I’ve added for the summer, gardening, landscaping and plant maintenance for both here at home and at the office.   My housekeeper quit on me again, so I’ve been cleaning a 3-story home in addition to additional tasks asked of me from my husband for the new dental office.  This is the most physically exhausting summer I’ve ever had in my life.

Our vacation in Montana this year really made me step back and realize that regular relaxation is essential for personal effectiveness.  After returning home, I felt like I got so much more accomplished, and am finally starting to feel back on track.  Even though I was taking mental breaks, I’m not sure – I just honestly can’t remember – if I was getting the proper amount of physical rest given my additional physical workload.  Don’t get me wrong – I truly enjoy everything that I’m doing.  Even cleaning the house is rewarding.  I love organizing it and knowing that it’s clean.  But like anyone with a new job, you have to find your balance, and I’ve had to find my physical balance this summer.

Here are six techniques that I’ve found for relaxing physically.

1. Take Time Off Every Week.  First of all, work only five or six days per week, and rest completely on the seventh day.  Sounds quite religious doesn’t it?  But every single study in this area shows that you will be far more productive in the five or six days that you work if you take one or two days off completely than you ever would be if you worked straight through for seven days.  I have changed my schedule to work physically hard only every other day – kind of like working out, since, for me at least, that’s what it is.  I used to write, speak and coach 5 days per week and then go physically hard on the weekends.  That just doesn’t work anymore.  Three and three with one day off is working so far and I’ve even added 2 clients.
2. Get Your Mind Busy Elsewhere.  During your time off, do not catch up on reports, organize your desk, prepare proposals, or do anything else that requires mental effort. Don’t clean the house or do laundry.  Simply let your mind and body relax completely.  Sit in the sun for a few minutes, rock on the back porch, lie in a hammock, or pet your cat, but just relax.   Don’t let your mind wander to everything that needs to be done – it’ll just lead your body there, or make you feel guilty.  Try to chill and let your spirit soar.
3. Take Big Chunks of Down Time.  My regular readers already know that I am a big believer in time-chunking.  While a 15-minute break is great when you’re in the middle of a physical chore and need to re-charge, you also need to chunk your physical/mental breaks.  For example, I’ve found that doing my gardening chores in the morning while writing and working on websites in the afternoon provides a nice balance to the whole mental-physical equation.  Try it – and let me know how it works for you.
4. Give Your Emotions a Break.  If you are involved in a difficult relationship, or situation at work that is emotionally draining, discipline yourself to take a complete break from it at least one day per week.  (Yes, my coaching clients – I’m talking to you!)  Put the concern out of your mind. Refuse to think about it. Don’t continually discuss it, make telephone calls about it or mull it over in your mind. You cannot perform at your best mentally if you are emotionally preoccupied with a person or situation. You have to give yourself a break.  Even if you just go to a movie that will grab your complete attention for a while, you’ll get some relief, and so will your mind and body.  (Just be sure the movie isn’t going to remind you of your situation.)
5. Go For a Walk in Nature.  Since a change is as good as a rest, going for a nice long leisurely walk is a wonderful way to relax emotionally and mentally. Making your body “wind down” after going hard is similar to stretching after exercising.  Being amid trees, grass, water, etc. will rejuvenate your spirit as well, and help ground you.
6. Eat Lighter Foods.  The process of digestion consumes an enormous amount of physical energy. Therefore, if you eat lighter foods, you will feel better and more refreshed afterward. If you eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products, your digestive system will require far less energy to process them.  I’ve been eating lighter and lighter lunches and feeling better and better.  The more I avoid sugar, the better I feel.  Oh, I could write a series of posts on that one – so stay tuned . . .

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized!  Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

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Posted under Education, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

One of the biggest disappointments I get when I take a consulting job working with an organization is all the political work-arounds I have to deal with.  It just drives me crazy.  I usually get around it by telling myself that I am there short-term, I was hired to do a job, and that I will make a difference in the end.

This past week I observed a situation that, after reflecting on many frustrating incidences in the corporate world, made me realize that there are some ways to rise above all the game-playing and mind-numbing banalities.  Ready?

The truly competent individual can be free of politics in an organization if he or she chooses. When you’re really good at what you do, you can rise above politics, and I’ve noticed that this is what the more successful people within a company have done.  Be careful when engaging in water-cooler talk and “making plays.”  It might be back-firing more than you think.  Brain Tracy says, “It’s the mediocrities at work who have to play games and every study shows that although they sometimes succeed in the short-term, they invariably fail when everyone figures them out.”  Looking back on previous situations I’ve been in, I’ll have to agree.  But then I suppose “studies” prove themselves, don’t they?

So how can you become the competent, mediocre-less, on-the-way-up type that you want to be?  Here are two things you can do to assure that you are in the right position.

1. Do What You Love To Do
   Select your work carefully and if you don’t love what you’re doing enough to want to be the best at it, get out!  It is rare to be successful at a job you don’t like.  Enjoying your work and being good at it go hand-in-hand.  More importantly, your work should excite you and cause you to jump out of bed in the morning.  If it doesn’t, that’s a tip from your inner being that you’re not on the right path.  Flee from the boring or unsatisfying job as you would from a burning building. Working at something you don’t care about is the very best way to waste your life. Remember, this life is not a rehearsal for something else.  Love it; enjoy it – it’s what you came here to do!  If you need help with finding your passion, try reading How to Decide What to Do with the Rest of Your Life.

1. Work for the Right Company
   One key to getting onto the fast-track is for you to work for the right company and the right boss. The right company is one that respects its people and practices pay for performance. Our employees are on a bonus system that makes them partners in the practice.  (Not from a liability standpoint, just from a profit-sharing perspective.)  The right company is dynamic, growing, open to new ideas, and full of opportunities for people with ambition and initiative.  If you’re happy with your work, but feel stuck in your career, maybe it’s time to steer or jump overboard.  Listen to that voice that’s telling you to have faith and make a change; never listen to the voice of fear, and don’t make decisions based on fear either.

   If necessary, find a new company, possibly one that is just starting up, that would appreciate your expertise.  Be sure that there are lots of opportunities for you to grow, develop and advance in the company. Your future is too valuable to waste where there is no future for you.

Finally, it doesn’t take long of being in a corporate environment to make me want to throw up!  Personally I prefer having my own business, making my own decisions, and the freedom to turn down business when I feel it is morally more right to do so.  I believe America would be a much better place to work in general if we went back to the small, family-owned businesses of yester-year.  Sure, family-owned businesses have their problems, too, but they are much easier overcome and our values were more in line with the well-being of all back then.  I’ll be blogging about this more in the weeks to come.  For today, your assignment is to think about the business you’re in and make some hard decisions if necessary.  Do you love what you do and for whom you’re doing it?  Or are you struggling to play the game?  If you’re playing politics, you’re missing out on so much bliss!

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired! What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized! Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

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Posted under Dental Practice Management, Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

When I was a computer instructor, one of my favorite things to do was to give my students lots of “tips and tricks.”  Short, simple techniques that were just “cool,” as we said back in those days.

On this website, a blog post lends itself really well to tips and tricks since the articles need to be relatively short, grab the reader’s attention quickly, and definitely offer something of value.

My favorite post and tip that I’ve given here over the past two years is The Motivational Trick that Works - Every Time.  But today, I want to offer something that I’ve learned from the opening of our new dental office.  The concept is what I call “long-term perspective.”

After more than 50 years of research, Doctor Edward Banfield of Harvard University, concluded that “long-time perspective” is the most accurate single predictor of upward social and economic mobility in America. Having a long-term perspective turns out to be more important than family background, education, race, intelligence, connections or virtually any other single factor in determining one’s success in life or at work.

This certainly seems to be true of my husband.  Building a new dental facility in a small town that both meets the needs of the community and provides the state-of-the-art quality of care that my husband insists on seemed almost impossible to us 8 years ago when we got married.  But we kept our “eyes on the prize,” set our goals, managed intermediate steps, and voila – 8 years later, mission accomplished.  (Now our goal is to make it profitable – which will be a later post!)

Brian Tracy says, “Your attitude toward time, your “time horizon,” has an enormous impact on your behavior and your choices. People who take the long view of their lives and careers always seem to make much better decisions about their time and activities than people who give very little thought to the future.”

If you stop to think about it for a moment, that statement makes sense, but it’s not common sense.  Most people go through their life thinking that they just have to take whatever “life dishes out,” or whatever is “in the cards” for them.  While I’m a huge believer and teacher of “one day at a time,” I also know the value of having an overall strategic plan.  Here are 5 ways to develop a future focus.

1. Think and Write About Your Future
   Successful people have a clear future orientation, and they have their vision of their future written down where they can review it periodically. They think five, ten and twenty years out into the future and develop a plan of action.  Then, they analyze their choices and behaviors in the present to make sure that they are consistent with the long-term future that they desire.  Thinking about your future is an important first step, but you’ve got to write it down as well, so that you have guidance from day-to-day as to what to do next.

1. Determine the Consequences
   By definition, something that is important has long-term potential consequences. Something that is unimportant has few or no long-term potential consequences. Before starting on anything, you should always ask yourself, “What are the potential consequences of doing or not doing this task?”  The clearer you are about your future intentions, the greater influence that clarity will have on what you do in the moment. With a clear long-term vision, you are much more capable of evaluating an activity in the present and to assure that it is consistent with where you truly want to end up.

1. Make Success a Top Priority
   If there is a task or activity with large potential positive consequences, make it a top priority and get started on it immediately. If there is something that can have large potential negative consequences if it is not done quickly and well, that becomes a top priority as well.  Whether it’s going back to school, continuing your education in your current field, learning marketing techniques, whatever your frog is, resolve to gulp it down first thing.  Resolve to do at least one thing every day toward your number one goal.

1. Stay Motivated
   Motivation requires motive. Whatever your goal is, it must excite you.  The greater the positive potential impact that an action or behavior of yours can have on your life, once you define it clearly, the more motivated you will be to overcome procrastination and get it done quickly.  Thinking continually about the potential consequences of your choices, decisions and behaviors is one of the very best ways to determine you true priorities in your work and personal life.  If something doesn’t excite you, your choice is not motivating you and you need to choose something else.

1. Visualize It Coming True
   I can’t tell you how many times my husband and I talked and dreamed about what this new dental office would look like.  It really is a dream come true and my husband said just last week, “Even though we’ve been in the new building for several weeks now, it just occurred to me that I’m not going to have to leave at some point.  It’s just now starting to feel like it’s mine.”  Is that a “dream come true” or what?

Your Assignment

Review your list of tasks, activities and projects regularly. Continually ask yourself, “Which one project or activity, if I did it in an excellent and timely fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on my life?”

Whatever it is that can help you the most, set it as a goal, make a plan to achieve it and go to work on your plan immediately. Remember the wonderful words of Goethe, “Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!”

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired! What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized! Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: Time Management, Personal Development, Conscious Creation, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker,   Motivation, Organize, Law of Attraction, Dental Practice Management, Consultant, Motivational Book, Self Help

Posted under Dental Practice Management, Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

Do you ever feel like there will never be enough time to do everything you want to do?  Well, guess what – you’re right!  We are constantly growing and expanding, which means we’re always wanting more, even if it’s more peace, serenity, time off, etc.  The future is always more and we will always want it.

Brian Tracy teaches “The Law of Forced Efficiency,” which says that, “There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.”  I recently found this to be absolutely true and that’s what I want to discuss today.

Most of you are probably aware that I haven’t been posting as many articles on this site as I had been for the past two years.  You’re also probably aware that my husband and I opened a new dental facility two months ago.  Yes, these two facts are related. 

With all of the preparation and planning that I did before the big move, there were things that happened that I just could not have anticipated.  Don’t get me wrong, it was all mostly good stuff, or things that were easy enough to deal with, but everything coming in at once simply took more time than I had allowed.  Combine that with my own business projects and trying to keep up with acquiring new business, and the blog writing just went on the back burner for a few weeks.

I felt guilty for a long time, but then decided that I really didn’t owe any explanation to anyone.  However, at the open house for the new office, I told an avid reader that my blog writing was suffering because I’d been so busy with the details of the practice and her response was, “I could tell.”  OUCH!

After reflecting on that though, I came to realize that all that simply meant was that I really put a lot of myself “out there” on this website, and that was my original intent; to blog about the trials and tribulations of my life and the lives of my clients (who always remain anonymous) in the hope that it will help others, and it does.

So what does a personal strategic planner and time management “guru” do when a major event in her life throws her out of kilter?

Drop back and punt.  Take it one step at a time.  Ask, “What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?”

The main problem was that no matter how well I planned or how much I worked, the jobs and responsibilities just kept piling up.  (I know what a lot of you are thinking right now – “Welcome to my world.”  I know, I know.)  Add to that the deadline of wanting everything to look perfect for the open house, and what would normally be a task that could be put off suddenly became a top priority – like cleaning all of the scuff marks off the baseboards.

The other big issue for me was that normally, even if I’ve had a busy day, I can write a really good post late at night and still meet my personal goal of 3 articles per week.  While there were days when I finally sat down at 9 or 10 PM, I was so much more physically exhausted than a normal work day that I couldn’t even muster the energy to type!  I spent a lot of time on the office landscaping and taking care of it even after the moving and cleaning was over, to the point that my body doesn’t feel that it has returned to “normal” yet – and it sometimes feels like it will never be normal again!  But I do seem physically stronger and I’m sleeping better than ever, so the positive aspects outweigh my whining by far.  But that’s another post!

The biggest lesson I learned from all of this was that I can be a highly productive person. Every hour of every day I had to stop and re-prioritize my growing list of tasks.  I found myself constantly asking that question, “What is the best use of my time right now?”  My time management principles were reinforced and I feel stronger mentally than ever before. 

I also feel more relaxed every day, which was worth going through this experience.  I had to learn to let some things go, like blog post writing, that I really wanted to do, because other things were more important.  As Goethe said, “The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.”

I tend to make things important that aren’t, which makes me rush around a lot.  This project has helped me realize what is truly important to me, and that it’s okay to let things slide every once in a while.  As much as I love my business and everything I do, my husband comes first.  He is my top priority.  Why? Because he’s a good man who works very hard and he deserves my best.  I knew what I was “getting into” when I married him; I made that choice consciously, and when push comes to shove, like it did this Spring, he will always come first, by my choice.

Your Assignment

Take a few seconds at the end of a major project or task each day and sit quietly where you cannot be disturbed. During this time, let your mind relax and just think about your work and activities.  Ask yourself, “What is the best use of my time, right now?”

The more you implement this process, the easier it will be for you to set clear priorities, to overcome procrastination and to get started on that one activity that represents the most valuable use of your time.

In almost every case, during this time of solitude, even if it’s just a couple of minutes, you will receive wonderful insights and ideas that will save you enormous amounts of time when you apply them back on the job. Often you will experience breakthroughs that will change the direction of your life and work.  When you do, please come back here and share it with the rest of us!

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized!  Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

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Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

We had our open house for my husband’s new state-of-the-art dental office this past Saturday, June 7, 2008, and oh, what an event!  Nearly 200 friends, relatives, and patients came out to celebrate with us and since many of them are avid readers of my blog, we decided that this would be a good place to showcase some photos of some very important and special people.

It was a fabulous day, thanks to all of you.  We are very proud to be located in Flemingsburg, serving those in Central and Eastern Kentucky.  We appreciate our team, without whom this business, let alone this new office, would not be possible.  Our sincere gratitude goes out to all of our patients, family members, and friends, and especially to those of you who drove from up to three hours away to be with us, (and do so on a regular basis!)  We love and adore you all!

For those of you who could not attend, we’d be happy to give you a private office viewing.  Just call the office and tell them you want the “VIP tour!”  (606) 845-CARE (2273) or 1-888-917-CARE (2273).

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

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Posted under Dental Practice Management, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation, Success

The longer I live the more I appreciate the basics of life:  a good, clean home; a stable job and husband; a reliable car; and systems that work.

I used to spend thousands of dollars per year investing in the latest self-help book.  And don’t get me wrong, those authors have made me the person I am today and I am eternally grateful.

But one system I’ve been using for almost two years now is that every month, I allow myself one new book, but also review one “old” one.  Lately I’ve struggled with finding anything new and have mostly been reviewing my favorites.

This week, the book that is up for review is Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anna Klauser.  I’ve blogged about Ms. Klauser’s wonderful book before in Creatively Combine Your Tasks, and 18 Reasons to Love Lists.  But today I want to share a new reason to love this book.

I’ve been inundated with tasks and projects lately.  My regular readers know that my husband moved into a new dental office one month ago.  We really believed we’d be all moved in in about a week.  Fools!  Oh, well.  Things are going well, and we’re having the time of our lives doing all of it – it really is a dream come true for both of us.  But at the end of the day, I am much more tired than usual.  Okay, enough of trying to rally up a pity party from my online friends, I’ll get to my point now.

I love using Outlook to organize all my lists.  I adore Excel for strategic planning, but there is something about putting real pen to real paper that just gets things done.  I love it.  I love the act of making a list.  I love the feeling of planning a project out loud, and on paper – writing it out.

As I’ve read this book many times over now, I have several pages ear-marked.  As I write this post, the book falls open to the first page of Chapter 11, Becoming Committed. 

I’ve made a note at the top of the page that reads, “This is my favorite page in the whole book.”  So I’m going to share it with you now:

In an oft-quoted passage from The Scottish Himalayan Expedition, W.H. Murray speaks to the significance of commitment.  Once you walk forward in faith and a conscious effort, all manner of support and tangible backing will be available to you.

 

Until one is committed, there is hesitance . . . The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.  A whole stream of events raising in one’s favor . . . unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

It is up to you to trust the possibility enough to be willing to put your dream in writing, and to take the first step, even with no evidence that it will actually happen.

What I’ve learned over the past several weeks is that Providence doesn’t just come for big dreams, He will come for your overwhelming projects and to-do items as well.  I’ve relied more heavily on my old-fashioned Franklin planner and it’s the only way I’ve accomplished what I have while basically trying to work 2 jobs and keep the house in order.  My advice to anyone gearing up to go through a move or any other type of major project is write it down, write it down, write it down.

Henriette shares more stories of her own and discusses the psychology behind why writing things down works.  This book is so fundamentally powerful I believe everyone should own a copy.

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to lasting peace and happiness:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

Whew – what a weekend!  I’ll give you an update in a few minutes, but first, I’m taking care of business.  (That’s on old one, huh?)

This Saturday, May 10, 2008, I will be hosting the Carnival of Healing.  If you’ve written a post or an article about holistic health, wellness, spirituality, or self empowerment, and you’re willing to share it, please use the Carnival Submission Form and I’ll check it out.  I include everything that’s positive and helpful.  The current carnival, Facing Adversity with Strength, is at A-Ha! – Daily Blog for A-Ha! TV.com; check it out for some great articles – you’ll be glad you did!

As for my weekend experience at SOBCon08, what can I say except that it was a fantastic weekend!  I could inundate you with links to people I met and now absolutely love, but I’ve decided to introduce you to them in more palatable spurts instead. 

The highlight for me was getting to finally meet Scot Herrick in person.  Isn’t it wonderful when you meet someone you’ve been corresponding with for a while and discover that they are exactly as you imagined them?  Sincere, honest, and walking his talk – that’s Scot.  If you work in a “cube,” (and if you’re not sure, you don’t), check out Scot’s Cube Rules.

I met lots of new people, too.  My table partner was a gentleman by the name of Derek Semmler.  Derek is a sweet, devoted family man, who has a sincere desire to help others:    From helping people get out of debt and achieve financial freedom, to parenting solutions for dads, to helping people make money with their blog, links to all of  Derek’s websites can be found at RedStapleMedia.com. 

Okay, I don’t want to sound like a sales pitch, but trust me, these people are worth your time. 

As for what I personally learned:  Enough to start making serious changes to this site, changes you’re going to love!  So stay tuned . . .   (Over 650 of you are regularly tuning in every day – thank you – I deeply appreciate you!)

Join me at my Personal Development Retreat on May 30.

Get control of your stuff and your life with:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

Technorati Tags: SOBCon08, Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

As a Life Skills Coach, one of the biggest problems I see with my clients is their self-image or lack of self-esteem.  The problem is more prevalent with women than with men for reasons that I will not get into in this article – most of us know what those reasons are anyway – but it does affect all income and professional levels.

Your self-esteem determines your energy level and the vitality of your personality. It is the control valve on your performance and determines your success in life.

How you react, both consciously and sub-consciously, to everything that happens to you and around you affects your self-esteem in some way.  Your perception of everything that happens around you either increases your self-esteem or lowers it.  Your response to every word or gesture of other people toward you affects your self-esteem in some way.  Therefore, the development of your self-esteem becomes the key to high performance, happiness, and ultimate success.

While many things affect your self-image, one of the most important is the difference between your current self-image, the way you see yourself in the moment, and your ideal self, the way you would ideally like to be.

Whenever you feel your current performance and behavior is consistent with the person that you would like to be, your self-esteem goes up.  You feel happier and more exhilarated.  You have more energy and enthusiasm.  You are more positive and personable with others.  You’re in a good mood.

On the other hand, when your current performance or behavior is inconsistent with the person you would like to be, your self-esteem goes down.  You feel anxious and unhappy.  You feel self-conscious and embarrassed.  You feel frustrated and angry.  You feel depressed and in a bad mood.

So how do you increase your self-esteem and create a self-image that will propel you forward instead of holding you back?  Here are four basic life skills that will help you get on track.

1. Develop a clear picture of the person you want to become.  The greater clarity you have with regard to your ideal self – the person you would most like to be – the easier it is for you to tailor your performance and behavior to be consistent with that kind of person.  Sometimes it is helpful to read about someone whose personality you admire, and try to adapt his or her behaviors.  For example, Shelly Branch and Sue Callaway have written a great book titled, “What Would Jackie Do?”  This book details some of the characteristics of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.  Men will tend to like anything by or about Winston Churchill, like “Never Give In.”

2. Visualize yourself behaving in the manner you desire.  (I’ve written about this before in Use Personas for Greater Success.)  We all have some recurring situation that gets the best of us.  We never know how to react until it’s too late and the opportunity has passed.  However, people with a well-developed self-image rarely have this problem.  They have practiced, (I’m not kidding,) saying or doing that which they desire until the opportunity presented itself to behave in a certain way.  It’s just like an actor preparing his or her lines until the night comes to perform.  Every time you do or say anything that is consistent with the person you want to be, your self-esteem goes up.  When your self-esteem goes up, your self-image begins to change.  You feel positive and powerful.  You feel capable of doing more and better things in that area and in other areas of your life.  You become the person you want to be because you are your self-image!

3. Realize that responding to a situation doesn’t always mean you have to say something.  Remember that how you react, both consciously and sub-consciously, to everything that happens to you and around you affects your self-esteem in some way.  Sometimes, it’s best to just let the other person say what they want, and then silently say to yourself, “That’s not true.  I’m a very smart person.  I’m organized and thorough.  This was just a minor mishap that will never happen again.”  As long as your inner mind can influence your self-image, there is really no need to start confronting every issue.  Choose your battles.  Doing so will give you an amazing sense of control.

4. Engage in positive self-talk.  Start saying nice things to yourself.  In his book, “Million Dollar Habits,” Brian Tracy says one of the ways he increased his self-esteem years ago was by repeating to himself 10 to 50 times a day, “I like myself!”  The powerful message behind this phrase is that even when you mess up, and we all do, you can still like yourself.  Or at least you should, because that what self-esteem is – liking yourself no matter what.

We will talk more about how to increase your self-esteem at my Life Skills Retreat; I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to empowerment, peace and happiness:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Self-Esteem, Empowerment, Life Skills, Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation, Success

Laughter and the ability to remain light-hearted have been proven in many studies to be more successful at maintaining a healthy heart than mere diet and exercise.  Why?  Perhaps because maintaining a sense of humor frees us from stress and anxiety.  After all, you can’t be anxious about something and laughing at yourself at the same time. 

Here, then, are 5 ways to develop a more light-hearted attitude toward life.

1. Smile.  The physical act of smiling releases endorphins into your body and instantly improves your mood, making it easier to laugh at whatever situation has come along.  Try it.  If you don’t believe me, try this; Smile as big and wide as you can, and try to maintain a negative thought.  I’ll bet you can’t do it!  Go ahead; laugh at how simple this is!

2. Laugh at yourself.  We’re all human.  And so are you!  (Some people need to be reminded of that.)  Taking yourself too seriously puts undue pressure on your subconscious mind and keeps you further from whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish.  I’m guilty of this at times and I suppose everyone is.  Your most important relationship is the one you have with you.  Learn to forgive yourself and laugh at your mistakes, even the clumsiest of them.

3. Practice this mantra:  “This too shall pass.”  Isn’t that true?  You know that you can overcome any adversity.  Consider all the challenges you’ve already faced and have lived to tell about it.  Whatever the situation is, you’ll get past it.  Take a deep breath, say, “this too shall pass,” and face the crisis head-on.

4. Keep busy.  Remember, your thoughts control your feelings.  Og Mandino wrote, “Never will I labor to be happy; rather I will remain too busy to be sad.”  Engage your mind with positive thoughts and when you feel yourself veering to the negative, find something to do. Perhaps this is why gardeners tend to be very happy people; there’s always something to do when you have a garden.

5. Make someone else smile.  The best way to create something for yourself is to give it to someone else first.  Tell a joke to a friend. Tell a stranger she looks nice.   Surprise your spouse with a gift of some sort. 

Finally, strengthen your sense of humor by conditioning your mind to look for the bright side of every situation you encounter each day.  Before long, this will be your usual way of thinking, and happiness and success will be just around the corner.

We will talk more about the importance of developing a sense of humor at my Life Skills Retreat; I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to lasting peace and happiness:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Humor, Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success